Rotary Cutters

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Rotary cutters were invented in 1979 by the Olfa company. They made the
cutter with a handle and a blade not dissimilar to a pizza cutter. The
circular blades are very sharp and replaceable. They can be bought in
different sizes, usually smaller blades are used to cut around curves
and corners, while larger blades are used to cut straight lines,
especially useful when cutting strips.

I am amazed at the time I save compared to when my mother use to
quilt. She use to mark and cut out with scissors, each individual piece
of fabric. It has also improved my accuracy, especially when the
technique is done correctly. My mother still asks me how I manage to cut
such straight lines!

When shopping online for rotary cutters you
will now see a large range on the market. This is great as it gives the
buyer choices. There are three functions to check for when choosing one.

* Handle Shape

Like choosing a pair of scissors it is
best to try before you buy especially if you need a certain handle shape
for comfort, for example if you are left handed or suffer from carpal
tunnel. I have two Olfa rotary cutters and can highly recommend this
brand. One larger one with a curved handle that I find most comfortable
as it stops my fingernails from digging into the palm of my hand. The
other is a smaller straight handled cutter. I love both and find that I
use my larger curved handle one the most.

* Safety Device Operation

I learnt early on to close my
blade every time I put my cutter down, as these can inflict a nasty and
annoying cut. The safety device is designed to expose and retract the
blade. Make sure you try this function out before you buy so that you
are comfortable with the way it works. Both my cutters safety devices
work differently and I find I prefer one over the other.

* Blade Size

There
is a range of blade size on the market and I advise you to go to your
local quilting shop to see what they recommend and also stock.

Regardless
of which brand, size, color etc you choose to buy make sure you follow
the manufactures instructions for use and blade replacement. Don't throw
these instructions out. Buy one cutter first and when ready add to
your collection as the need arises and you know what works best for you.

* Tips

1. Change your blades often to keep them sharp and accurate.

2.
When changing a blade, pay close attention to how the pieces come
apart. Lay them out in the order they were removed and put it back
together in the same order. Keep the packaging they came in as this has
valuable information about this.

3. Take your rotary cutter apart
to clean it of the lint that tends to build up behind the blade. This
will help to keep your cutter working properly.

4. To keep the blade turning smoothly, add a drop of sewing-machine oil on the plastic surface next to the blade.

5. Replace blades with burrs or nicks. These are evident when you cannot make a clean cut across the fabric.

6. If you work sitting down purchase a special cutter made for this. A regular cutter does not work at this angle.

7.
Don’t try to cut too many layers at a time. Test your cutter to find
the optimum number of layers it will cut accurately. The average is
usually 6.

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